Today I received an automated email from Tumblr congratulating me on my thirteenth anniversary, which got me reflecting a bit.

Thirteen years ago, I made my first social media account to do art things. I was living in Mildura, my second year there, and had just started taking photographs from my walks around the town. Tumblr was the place I wanted to share.

In thirteen years I feel that I’ve been able to accomplish a lot - and today I feel really proud of myself. I’ve had exhibitions, published work, had some art purchased, written pieces about art, taught book making, been hired by Universities, etc. I think, in a lot of ways, it’s pretty remarkable looking back at the trail of little and big wins, achievements, collaborators, friends and adventures.

I’m reminded of a time I vividly remember: being in an art museum with my girlfriend and trying to share how hungry and ambitious I felt. I’d see art in a museum and think ‘I want this’ and sometimes feel like it was so important to me I couldn’t put it into words. The creativity, the presence, the emotion, the recongition. Sometimes I still feel so strongly that I have so much left to say, make, share, perfect, develop, grow, create.

It’s always sort of interesting seeing these little milestones and sitting and looking back with a smile and forward with a bit of energy.

I’m starting to think ‘what’s next’ with regards to my art work. I have a lot of exhibitions coming up, each a chance to do more and show off. Then what? How do I move forward? I want to make one more thing about environment, species and violence - and then have a mid-career retrospective. Big goals. And like any career you have to plan, set goals, and also be flexible to move towards them in different ways.

I’m happy today.